ASA/National Health Council Town Hall Meeting Was A Tremendous Success!

Sent to me 08-19-2008
BY Lee Grossman
President and CEO
ASA Member since 1991
Parent of a son with autism

Both leading presidential candidates responded to our request for statements on autism and health care during the Autism Society of America/National Health Council (NHC) town hall rally “Putting Patients First” at our National Conference on July 10th.

You can read the statements from John McCain and Barack Obama on ASA’s Vote for Autism page.

In addition, we received over 400 responses to our email requesting your town hall meeting questions and concerns. The great majority of your comments focused on medical insurance issues and lifespan services for individuals with autism. You can read a sampling of the responses here.

Next steps will include the formulating of the 400 responses into a “Put Patients First” petition by the NHC to be sent to presidential candidates and congress during the fall campaign.

If you participated in making your voice heard by responding for our call for participation at our town hall meeting, you have my deepest thanks.

If you didn’t get the chance to participate, or you’d like to do even more to let the government
know your strong feelings about the vital importance of our cause, please visit ASA’s Vote for Autism page.

The success of the ASA/NHC town hall meeting proves that our voices on behalf of America’s families coping with autism do make a difference!

Please help us keep the pressure on in both the White House and Capitol Hill by visiting ASA’s Vote for Autism page today!

Sincerely,


Lee Grossman
President and CEO
ASA Member since 1991
Parent of a son with autism

Support The Healthy Transition Act of 2008!

NEW UPDATE FROM NAMI

June 30, 2008

Senators Christopher Dodd (D-CT) and Gordon Smith (R-OR) and Representative Pete Stark (D-CA) hosted a press conference on Wednesday, June 25th to announce the introduction of The Healthy Transition Act of 2008 (H.R.6375/S.3195). This federal legislation is designed to address the challenges faced by young adults with mental illnesses who are transitioning to adulthood by establishing a planning grant program that would allow states to implement effective transition-age mental health services and supports.

Senators Dodd and Smith also announced the release of a U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) report titled Young Adults with Serious Mental Illness: Some States and Federal Agencies are Taking Steps to Address Their Transition Challenges. The report focuses on the tremendous struggles that transition-age young adults with mental illnesses face and several innovative programs that exist in four states to address their unique needs.

Andrew Sperling, NAMI’s Director of Legislative Affairs, moderated the press conference. Amy Lydon O’Connor, a policy assistant with NAMI Connecticut and a transition-age consumer, shared her personal story at the press conference about the challenges she faced in transitioning from youth to adulthood while also managing a mental illness. She was joined by another transition-age consumer and a provider of transition-age services in Philadelphia.

NAMI applauds Senators Dodd and Smith and Representative Stark for their leadership in introducing federal legislation that promises to focus national attention on the need for states to develop effective transition-age services and supports for young adults living with mental illnesses.

Act Now!

Email Congress today and urge your Senators and Representatives to co-sponsor The Healthy Transition Act of 2008 (H.R.6375/S.3195), which will provide state grants for much needed support and services uniquely designed for youth and young adults.

Click here to send an email to Congress!

Learn More

To access the GAO report click here.

To access NAMI’s statement on the GAO report and the federal legislation click here.